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Psychology vocabulary · Therapy and Counselling

Mindfulness

Meaning in psychology, with examples

/ˈmaɪndfəlnəs/nounCommon term

In psychology, mindfulness means: Paying attention on purpose to present-moment experience, such as thoughts, feelings and body sensations, with openness and without judging it.

In Turkish: bilinçli farkındalık, farkındalık, mindfulness

How it is used

Comes from meditation traditions and is used in programmes such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Researchers measure trait mindfulness; therapists teach mindfulness practices.

Example sentences

  1. MBCT combines mindfulness practice with elements of cognitive therapy.

  2. We start each group with a five-minute mindfulness exercise.

Common collocations

  • mindfulness practice
  • mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
  • mindfulness exercise
  • trait mindfulness
  • emotion regulationThe processes people use to influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how strongly they experience and express them.
  • attentionThe ability to focus mental resources on some information while ignoring the rest, for example following one conversation in a noisy room.
  • cognitive behavioural therapyA structured, time-limited form of psychotherapy that helps people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours that keep their problems going.
  • stressThe body's and mind's response to demands or threats that seem to exceed a person's resources, involving physical arousal, tension and worry.

More terms: Therapy and Counselling

Practise with graded reading

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.